Dee Alford

"The Falcons have not finished above .500 in a season or earned a playoff berth since Matt Ryan quarterbacked them to a 10-6 record in 2017. Nine years later, hoping Ryan possesses the acumen to run a front office, owner Arthur Blank coaxed the one-time NFL MVP out of the CBS studio with a freshly created position: president of football. Ryan agreed to return to Atlanta on Jan. 10, less than a week after Blank fired general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris in the wake of a second straight 8-9 campaign. We delved into the Falcons’ front office and coaching searches in greater detail in our Offseason Outlook in February, but in the end, Ryan chose former Bears executive Ian Cunningham as his GM and selected ex-Browns HC Kevin Stefanski to replace Morris. Although Stefanski was a two-time Coach of the Year in Cleveland, the team dismissed him last winter after he went 45-56 in six seasons. As lackluster as that record looks, it would be fair to acknowledge that Stefanski regularly got a raw deal at quarterback. Aside from Joe Flacco‘s five-game, Comeback Player of the Year-winning renaissance that Stefanski oversaw in 2023, the Browns have not found a stable option since they dumped Baker Mayfield in 2022. Fortunately for Stefanski, Cleveland’s ongoing issues are no longer his concern. However, despite the fact that Stefanski is now in a new setting, it may be the same old story for him in 2026. Even after the Falcons shook things up at the game’s foremost position in the offseason, their QB room looks iffy at best. That is far from the only problem in Atlanta, which took a pair of recent body blows on the defensive side of the ball. Last year’s Falcons registered a franchise-record 57 sacks, the second-best mark in the league. Their two 2025 first-round picks, outside linebacker Jalon Walker (5.5) and fellow edge defender James Pearce Jr. (10.5), combined for 16. But Walker, the 15th selection last year, will miss the season after tearing his ACL in camp. Pearce, whom Fontenot traded up for to draft at No. 26, will serve an eight-game suspension stemming from a February arrest in Florida. Pearce is facing felony charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding police, and resisting an officer with violence to his or her person. Those charges will be dropped if Pearce completes a 12-month pretrial diversion program in Florida. In the meantime, instead of building on an encouraging rookie campaign, Pearce will miss almost half of his second season after allegedly engaging in abhorrent off-field conduct. Extensions/restructures: Signed WR Drake London to four-year, $141.05MM extension ($52.87MM guaranteed) Inked RB Bijan Robinson to three-year, $66.75MM contract ($37.57MM guaranteed) Extended franchise-tagged TE Kyle Pitts for three years, $53MM ($36MM guaranteed) Reached four-year, $96MM deal ($28.92MM guaranteed) with G Matthew Bergeron Reworked contracts for LT Jake Matthews and CB AJ Terrell to free up $19MM in cap room Converted $12MM of CB A.J. Terrell‘s salary into a signing bonus, freeing up $9MM in cap space Fontenot was unable to lead the Falcons out of the abyss during his half-decade in charge, but he at least left the new administration some blue-chip talent. Two of his first-round draft choices, London (eighth overall, 2022) and Robinson (No. 8, 2023), have developed into bona fide stars. They are now being paid like it, which is no surprise after Cunningham indicated he would turn his post-draft focus to extensions for the pair. There was more urgency to hammer out an agreement with London, who otherwise could have become a free agent next offseason. Cunningham extinguished that possibility when he reached an agreement with London in the first week of June. The 25-year-old is now third among receivers in total contract value and average annual salary ($35.26MM). He checks in ninth in full guarantees. Despite dealing with average or worse quarterback play during his first four years, London consistently notched good to spectacular numbers in each season. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder averaged 70 catches, 886 yards and three touchdowns per season over his first two years. He found another level during a 100-grab, 1,271-yard, nine-TD explosion in 2024. A knee injury held London to 12 games last year, but he was a force when healthy. London had 68 catches, 919 yards and seven scores in 12 games. That translates to a cool 95-catch, 1,309-yard, 10-TD pace over a full season. The Falcons exercised Robinson’s fifth-year option for 2027 in April, meaning there was no chance of losing him to free agency in the immediate future. However, given Robinson’s importance to their offense, the Falcons wanted to secure him for the long haul. But their negotiations with the 2025 first-team All-Pro RB/second-team All-Pro all-purpose player and two-time Pro Bowler were trickier than their talks with London. Robinson and Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs, a fellow 2023 first-rounder who has been similarly excellent, sought market-topping deals at the same time. They staged hold-ins early in camp, though there was never much doubt they and their teams would eventually find common ground. It was just a question of which player would blink first. It turned out to be Robinson, who signed two days before Gibbs. Excluding Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, whose contract was dictated by the rookie wage scale, Robinson is second at the position in guarantees. He was briefly first in that category and total value, but Gibbs leapfrogged him. The seminal chapter in RB contract history finished with Gibbs securing a $22.5MM-per-year deal after Robinson’s $22.25MM number briefly set the market. Although running back is not considered a premium position, players like Robinson and Gibbs are exceptional enough to warrant massive second contracts. Robinson, who has never missed a game, will aim for a third straight 1,400-yard year on the ground and a third consecutive season with double-digit TDs. Between his rushing and receiving last season, the 5-11, 215-pound dual threat piled up a league-high 2,298 yards from scrimmage and scored 11 times. Robinson finished 18th in the league in catches (79) and chipped in 820 receiving yards. Speaking of pass catchers, Pitts enjoyed a lucrative offseason in his own right. With the 25-year-old nearing free agency, the Falcons kept him in place via the tag in late February. Cunningham admitted in late March that he would listen to offers for Pitts, but the GM later decided an extension was the better path. Pitts, a beneficiary of the rising cost of tight ends, now sits first at the position in full guarantees and third in both total value and AAV ($17.67MM). As Fontenot’s first pick (No. 4 in 2021) and the highest-drafted TE in NFL history, Pitts faced sky-high expectations entering the league. He lived up to them as a rookie. Although he only caught one TD in 17 games, the ex-Florida Gator earned a Pro Bowl nod after reaching 1,026 yards on 68 receptions. That was Ryan’s last season as the Falcons’ QB. Five years later, he played a key part in keeping Pitts in Atlanta for the foreseeable future. Pitts has played full seasons in four of five years, adding to his appeal. The lone exception was his second season, 2022, when he tore his MCL and missed seven games. His production sagged to 28 catches, 356 yards and two scores. Pitts was better between 2023-24, though his output was still closer to decent than great. The 6-6, 250-pounder averaged approximately 50 catches, 635 yards and four TDs during that span. To Pitts’ credit, he put together arguably his best season in a contract year. He earned a second-team All-Pro selection after pulling in career highs in catches (88) and TDs (five). Pitts fell shy of 1,000 yards, but with 928, he ranked second among TEs. The Falcons expect that to continue. Otherwise, they would have either let Pitts leave in free agency or held off on an extension. Unlike London, Robinson and Pitts, Bergeron is far from a household name. The left guard nonetheless joined those three in serving as a bright spot during the Fontenot era. The Montreal native missed just two games over his first three seasons, during which he started in 49 straight appearances. In the process, he proved enough to the Falcons’ first-year front office to make him one of the wealthiest guards in the sport. Only four guards own richer overall deals than Bergeron, who is tied with the Cowboys’ Trey Smith for second in AAV ($24MM). He is a slightly more modest 11th in full guarantees. Between Bergeron and Chris Lindstrom, who signed a five-year, $102.5MM extension in 2023, no team is paying more for guards than the Falcons. Both Lindstrom (No. 2) and Bergeron (No. 20) were top-20 guards in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. Free agency additions: Jahan Dotson, WR: Two years, $15MM ($10MM guaranteed) Jake Bailey, P: Three years, $9MM ($5MM guaranteed) Za’Darius Smith, OLB: One year, $6MM ($5MM guaranteed) Nick Folk, K: Two years, $9MM ($4MM guaranteed) Austin Hooper, TE: One year, $3.25MM ($2.74MM guaranteed) Cameron Thomas, DE: One year, $3.1MM ($2.5MM guaranteed) Olamide Zaccheaus, WR: Two years, $4.5MM ($2.3MM guaranteed) Christian Harris, LB: One year, $2.75MM ($1.99MM guaranteed) Da’Shawn Hand, DT: One year, $3MM ($1.5MM guaranteed) Brian Robinson, RB: One year, $2.5MM ($775K guaranteed) Samson Ebukam, DE: One year, $2.77MM ($700K guaranteed) Chris Williams, DT: One year, $2MM ($500K guaranteed) Azeez Ojulari, OLB: One year, $1.4MM ($388K guaranteed) Jawaan Taylor, T: One year, $5MM Matthew Hayball, P: Two years, $2.13MM Corey Levin, C: One year, $1.49MM Cooper Rush, QB: One year, $1.3MM Darren Hall, CB: One year, $1.22MM Darnay Holmes, CB: One year, $1.22MM Cameron Sample, DE: One year, $1.22MM Trey Sermon, RB: One year, $1.22MM Tua Tagovailoa, QB: One year, $1.22MM Channing Tindall, LB: One year, $1.22MM Josh Woods, LB: One year, $1.22MM Tyler Goodson, RB: One year, $1.15MM Nick Muse, TE: One year, $1.15MM Brandon Walton, T: One year, $1.15MM Layden Robinson, G: One year, $1MM Although 2024 is still quite recent, it may as well be ancient history in the lives of Tua Tagovailoa and Kirk Cousins. Both players signed franchise quarterback-level contracts that year. Tagovailoa, then the triggerman of a high-powered Dolphins offense, inked a four-year, $212.4MM extension. Miami was convinced Tagovailoa, whom it drafted fifth overall in 2020, was its first true star signal-caller since Dan Marino. A few months before the Dolphins committed to Tagovailoa, Cousins entered free agency off a strong six years with the Vikings. Cousins was still on the mend from an October 2023 Achilles tear, but it did not faze the Fontenot-led Falcons. They lured him out of Minnesota with a four-year, $180MM proposal that featured $100MM in guaranteed money. The Tagovailoa and Cousins signings blew up in their teams’ faces. The oft-injured Tagovailoa missed six games in 2024, and he was so ineffective last year that then-Miami HC Mike McDaniel benched him for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers in Week 16. Tagovailoa never took the field again for the Dolphins, whose new leaders washed their hands of him during the offseason at the cost of a record $99.2MM in dead money. Likewise, the Falcons pulled the plug on the Cousins era two years into his mega-deal. He lost his starting gig late in 2024 to Michael Penix Jr., whom the Falcons shockingly drafted eighth overall a month after backing up the Brinks truck for Cousins. But Penix partially tore his left ACL last November, reopening the door for Cousins. Although the Falcons went a respectable 5-3 in Cousins’ starts, their new regime decided to move forward without him. Designating Cousins a post-June 1 release saved the Falcons $2.5MM in cap space this year, but they also have to spread $22.5MM in dead money through 2027. With Penix nowhere near recovered from knee surgery at the time, the Falcons reentered the quarterback market in March. There was talk of a Flacco-Stefanski reunion in free agency. There was also interest in a trade for the Cardinals’ Jacoby Brissett, who played for Stefanski in Cleveland in 2022. In the end, though, the Falcons could not turn down Tagovailoa at a bargain rate. The fact that the Dolphins are stuck paying a huge tab for the 28-year-old Tagovailoa enabled the Falcons to scoop up the one-time Pro Bowler for the minimum. Tagovailoa, a Hawaii native who has never shown an ability to overcome cold weather, chose a logical destination. He landed in the NFC South, a division with favorable climates and no intimidating opponents. Two of them (Carolina and Tampa Bay) play in warm weather. The other (New Orleans) is in a dome. So are the Falcons, who will host nine games in the cushy confines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season. Bonus: The Falcons get Pittsburgh and Green Bay in September, when weather should not be an issue, and will play an 11th game in a dome in Minnesota. All of that lines up well for Tagovailoa. So does the partial absence of Penix, who only began 11-on-11 work Saturday. The Falcons’ plan had been for the two southpaws to vie for the starting job this summer, but it’s hard to stage a proper two-man competition when one contender can’t fully participate. With that in mind, Tagovailoa should have been able to run away with the QB1 title in the past few weeks. Instead, though, he has not fared well enough for Stefanski to close the door on Penix getting the nod in Week 1. While Tagovailoa should still be considered the favorite to start, he is unlikely to have a long leash. Not only are the Falcons paying him next to nothing by NFL standards, but it would behoove them to find out if Penix is a worthwhile starter or even capable of staying healthy. Penix has a well-documented injury history dating to his college days at Indiana and Washington. Since 2018, three ACL tears, a broken collarbone and a separated shoulder have cut him down. Now 26, Penix is going into a pivotal third professional season with 12 up-and-down starts on his resume. Team brass will decide on his fifth-year option for 2028 next offseason. If the Falcons had to make the call right now, they would decline it. Falcons quarterbacks completed 332 passes last season. They distributed more than 70% of those to London, Robinson and Pitts, who combined for 235 catches. Evidenced by the Dotson and Zaccheaus signings, the Falcons want better complementary work than they received from the now-departed group of Darnell Mooney, David Sills, Casey Washington and Ray-Ray McCloud. Despite going 16th overall in the 2022 draft, Dotson is already on his third team. The 5-11, 184-pounder opened his career with back-to-back 500-yard seasons and 11 scores with the Commanders, but his impact fell off dramatically after a preseason trade to the Eagles in 2024. Stuck behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the Eagles’ receiver depth chart, Dotson only hauled in 37 passes for 488 yards and a TD in a 34-game, 16-start span. Falcons fans (and Ryan) are already familiar with Zaccheaus, who began his career in Atlanta as a 2019 UDFA. He wound up staying there for four years. After combining for 71 catches, 939 yards and six TDs from 2021-22, the former Philadelphia high school student joined the Eagles in free agency. That move didn’t work out for Zaccheaus, who had a meager 10 receptions in 17 games, but he has since put together a couple of much better one-year showings in Washington and Chicago. Primarily a slot target, the 5-8, 194-pounder amassed 84 catches, 819 yards and five TDs in 33 games from 2024-25. The Falcons would sign up for a fifth season of at least 30 catches from Zaccheaus, though rookie Zachariah Branch (more on him later) could eat into his slot snaps. That wouldn’t necessarily preclude Zaccheaus from contributing, though, as he has shown inside-outside versatility throughout his career. He played a near-even split between the slot (50.6%) and the outside (49.4%) under Bears head coach Ben Johnson in 2025. Elsewhere on offense, the Falcons enjoyed six years of right tackle stability from 2019-24. Kaleb McGary started in 92 of 93 appearances during that span. Comfortable with him continuing to start opposite left tackle stalwart Jake Matthews, the Falcons awarded McGary a two-year, $30MM extension last August. Little did they know he would never play another down. Roughly two weeks after McGary put pen to paper, he suffered a leg injury that kept him out for the season. Elijah Wilkinson unexpectedly stepped in as a 17-game starter, playing 100% of Atlanta’s offensive snaps, but PFF placed him a below-average 53rd among 84 qualified tackles. The Falcons let Wilkinson leave for a raise in Arizona, where he signed a two-year, $6.25MM pact as a free agent. Expectations then were that McGary would return as the Falcons’ starting RT, but he abruptly retired on April 8. The Falcons acted quickly to replace McGary, adding Taylor a couple hours after the retirement news broke. Taylor is known to struggle with penalties, having taken 40 as a Chief from 2023-25, and PFF has never rated his performance higher than 49th in an individual season (pass block win rate, however, has been kinder; Taylor slotted seventh among tackles in 2025 and 15th in 2024). But the eighth-year man has nonetheless started in all 111 appearances, including every game with the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs in 2023. Also a former Jaguar, Taylor managed perfect attendance in his first five seasons. The streak ended when he sat out one game in 2024, though, and he missed five more last season because of a triceps injury. The Chiefs released Taylor to save $20MM in cap room, but he is now in line to start for a third different team. Whether it is Tagovailoa or Penix, the 28-year-old Taylor will be tasked with protecting the blind side of an injury-prone left-hander. That puts extra pressure on Taylor, but if he holds up well, he could position himself for a better contract next offseason. On the defensive side, the Falcons obviously could not have predicted Walker’s ACL tear. On the other hand, it was clear the league would hand down some sort of suspension to Pearce. Despite that, the Falcons didn’t do anything splashy to address the edge in the months before the league punished him. The Falcons have not re-signed the nomadic Leonard Floyd, a 33-year-old Georgia native who is still a free agent on the heels of a 15-start, 3.5-sack season. Instead, they doled out short-term, low-cost deals to the likes of Smith, Ebukam, Thomas, Sample and Ojulari (another Georgia native). The addition of Smith came in response to the Walker injury and the Pearce ban. While Smith is a three-time Pro Bowler, it is anyone’s guess if he has anything left in the tank after spending most of 2025 out of football. The 33-year-old journeyman opened the season with the Eagles but retired in mid-October after playing 131 defensive snaps and picking up 1.5 sacks in five games. Smith had a recent change of heart, leading the Eagles to release him from the reserve/retired list in June. The former Brown appeared to have a deal in place with Cleveland on Aug. 17, but he booked a visit to Atlanta the next day. Signing with the Falcons reunited Smith with Stefanski, who coached him from 2023-24. Smith registered 10.5 sacks in 25 games with the Browns, who shipped him to the Lions ahead of the 2024 trade deadline. He finished the year with nine sacks. Production along those lines would be a boon for an Atlanta team whose pass rush quickly went from strength to question mark. Ebukam has similar capabilities to Smith, having topped out at 9.5 sacks with the Colts in 2023. He achieved that career high while playing for defensive line coach Nate Ollie, who now holds the same position in Atlanta. An Achilles tear cost Ebukam all of 2024, and though he came back to play 14 games last year, the former starter worked as a rotational player and fell to two sacks. Now that the injury is two years in the rearview mirror for Ebukam, maybe he’ll regain some of the form he showed when he combined for 58 QB hits and 28 sacks with the Rams, 49ers and Colts from 2019-23. Shifting to special teams, the contract for Folk looks rich for a kicker who will turn 42 during the season. However, the well-traveled Folk has been close to automatic for three straight years. A Titan from 2023-24 and a Jet last season, Folk combined to nail 79 of 82 field goals (a league-leading 96.3%) and 75 of 77 extra points (97.4%). It stands to reason the 19th-year veteran will benefit from moving into a dome. Kickers are volatile, and Folk’s age creates even more risk, but the Falcons prioritized the position after going through three different options in 2025. They released Younghoe Koo after he missed a 44-yarder that would have sent their Week 1 game against the Buccaneers into overtime. Replacement John Parker Romo got the boot after a costly missed PAT in a one-point loss to the Patriots in Week 9. The Falcons might have won the NFC South had even one of those two kicks gone through the uprights. Zane Gonzalez held the fort the after the Falcons cut Romo. Gonzalez went a solid 19 of 22 on FGs (86.4%) and 17 of 18 on PATs (94.4%), but he has never been all that trustworthy during his seven years in the league. Gonzalez signed with the Dolphins in free agency, though he is now back on the market after they released him with an injury settlement this week. Re-signings: DeAngelo Malone, OLB: One year, $1.5MM ($215K guaranteed) Natrone Brooks, CB: One year, $1.08MM Notable losses: Dee Alford, CB Tyler Allgeier, RB Troy Andersen, LB (released) Kirk Cousins, QB (post-June 1 cut) Arnold Ebiketie, OLB Kaden Elliss, LB Leonard Floyd, OLB Feleipe Franks, TE Elijah Garcia, DT Zane Gonzalez, K Jovaughn Gwyn, G Ronnie Harrison, S Khalid Kareem, OLB KhaDarel Hodge, WR (released) Kaleb McGary, RT (retired) Darnell Mooney, WR (released) David Onyemata, DT Bradley Pinion, P Teagan Quitoriano, TE Sam Roberts, DT David Sills, WR Kentavius Street, OLB Easton Stick, QB Casey Washington, WR Elijah Wilkinson, OL The Falcons’ defense had no problem racking up sacks or takeaways (seventh) last year, but it was a mediocre group in most other categories. The team was 13th against the pass, 14th in total yards, 15th in EPA per play, and 24th in both scoring and run defense. It was still somewhat surprising the Falcons said goodbye to Onyemata and Elliss, a couple of well-respected veterans who were among their bright spots last season. After playing his first seven seasons with the Saints — who had employed Fontenot for most of that stay — Onyemata signed with the Falcons for three years and $35MM in 2023. He proceeded to start in 47 of 48 games with the Falcons, including all 34 over the past two seasons. Onyemata had one of his top pass-rushing seasons in the first year of the deal, as he notched four sacks and a career-high 16 QB hits in 14 games. He fell to three and five in those respective categories in 2024 and dropped to one sack and two QB hits last year. Despite that, PFF rated Onyemata as the league’s eighth-best interior defensive lineman among 127 qualifiers in 2025. The Falcons decided to let him test the free agent market, though, and he became a Jet on a one-year, $10.5MM deal. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich publicly pounded the table for the Falcons to re-sign Elliss, but he instead returned to New Orleans for a second stint. Originally a Saint from 2019-22, Elliss accompanied Onyemata in moving to Atlanta in 2023. Elliss’ three-year deal also paid off for the Falcons, who got a durable and prolific producer. While never missing a game or a start with the Falcons, Elliss averaged 120 tackles, 11 QB hits, 10 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and four pass breakups per year. Even though Elliss is now 31, he scored an even larger contract in free agency this past offseason. The Saints gave him $33MM, including $23MM guaranteed, over three years. The Falcons made a much smaller investment in former Texan Christian Harris, who looks like the favorite to take over for Elliss alongside Divine Deablo. The Falcons spent the 38th pick in the 2022 draft on Ebiketie, who never made more than six starts in a season during his four years with the club. He was a useful and durable depth player, though, especially during back-to-back six-sack seasons in 2023 and ’24. Ebiketie also tallied 12 QB hits in each of those two years, but the number was cut in half last season. He also had just two sacks, though a decline in playing time contributed to that. After the Falcons added Walker, Pearce and Floyd, Ebiketie plummeted from 543 defensive snaps in 2024 to 384 last year. The former Penn State Nittany Lion then returned to Pennsylvania on a one-year, $4.3MM deal with the Eagles in free agency. Alford, who grew up in Georgia, signed with the Falcons in 2022 after a stint in the CFL. He went on to play four straight 16-game seasons with the Falcons, who mainly used him as a slot corner. Alford made 23 starts in Atlanta, including seven in his final season with the team. While playing 57% of defensive snaps in 2025, he set career highs in pass breakups (13), TFLs (six), INTs (three) and sacks (two). The Falcons lost Alford to the Bills on a three-year, $15.75MM contract, but as we’ll touch on later, they have may have found his replacement in the draft. Atlanta’s offense didn’t lose much in free agency, but Allgeier is worth mentioning. As a fifth-round rookie in 2022, Allgeier rushed for 1,035 yards on 4.9 per attempt. Impressive, but not enough to stop the Falcons from drafting Robinson in Round 1 the next year. Allgeier was perhaps an overqualified backup in Atlanta from then on, leaving almost no chance he would re-sign in free agency. Seeking more touches, Allgeier ventured to the open market and took the Cardinals’ two-year, $12.25MM offer. In an unexpected twist, Allgeier is once again stuck behind a prized young back. Weeks after they signed Allgeier, the Cardinals drafted the aforementioned Love third overall. The good news for Allgeier is that he probably reeled in a bigger payday than he would have in Atlanta. Trades: Traded DT Ruke Orhorhoro to Jaguars for DT Maason Smith Sent pick Nos. 122, 215 to Eagles for S Sydney Brown and Nos. 114, 197 Acquired T Wanya Morris and 2027 seventh-rounder from Chiefs for 2027 sixth-rounder In the first trade of the Ryan-Cunningham era, the Falcons acquired Brown while swapping fourth- and sixth-round selections with the Eagles. Thanks in part to a late-season ACL tear he suffered as a rookie in 2023, Brown never carved out much of a role as a defender in Philadelphia. The former third-rounder started in nine of 42 games and posted yearly defensive snap shares ranging from 12% to 35%. On the other hand, Brown was someone the Eagles heavily relied on as a special-teamer. While co-leading the Eagles with 332 third-phase snaps in 2025, Brown tied for 14th in the league in special teams tackles (14). The Falcons, who had one of the worst ST groups in the league last year, are likely expecting Brown to help spark a turnaround. With Jessie Bates and Xavier Watts locked in as the Falcons’ starting safeties, Brown should continue to see limited defensive action with his new team. A week before the draft, the Falcons and Jaguars executed a change-of-scenery swap involving a pair of defensive tackles halfway through their rookie contracts. Because both players were 2024 second-rounders (Smith went 48th, Orhorhoro 35th), they make similar money. Smith carries a $1.52MM cap hit this year. Orhorhoro will count approximately $1.7MM in 2026, giving the Falcons a negligible amount of cap savings. In 2025, his first year as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator, Ulbrich used Orhorhoro on 54.26% of snaps. The Clemson product played a full season, made eight starts and pitched in 30 pressures, 25 tackles, six QB hits, four TFL and 3.5 sacks. Orhorhoro’s counting stats from last season look OK, yet PFF ranked him as the league’s fifth-worst interior defensive lineman out of 127 qualifiers. Only two D-tackles earned worse grades against the run than the 6-4, 295-pound Orohorhoro. If we’re to take PFF’s assessment at face value, it helps explain how the Falcons finished 24th against the run and 25th in yards per carry allowed. Smith registered four QB hits, three TFL and three sacks during an 11-game rookie season, but he did not make a dent in any of those categories last year. The 6-5, 306-pounder from LSU was a statistical non-factor in 13 games under then-rookie D-coordinator Anthony Campanile, who turned to him on 28.38% of snaps. Nevertheless, the Falcons view Smith as a fit at nose tackle in Ulbrich’s defense. No longer in the shadow of DaVon Hamilton in Jacksonville, Smith is penciled in as a starter on Atlanta’s unofficial depth chart. In another trade involving late-round picks, the Falcons pried Morris from the Chiefs in early June. The Morris acquisition came in response to swing tackle Storm Norton‘s ongoing health troubles. Norton missed all of last season with an ankle injury, and he will sit out again this year after the Falcons put him on the reserve/PUP list to clear a roster spot for Morris. The Chiefs took Morris in the third round in 2023, but he went on to start just 16 of 43 games in their uniform. Barring injuries, Morris will also primarily work as a backup in Atlanta. Matthews is remarkably durable, having played in 196 of 197 games during his 12-year career. His lone absence came way back in 2014, his rookie season. Taylor, whom Morris knows well from their three years together in K.C., isn’t on Matthews’ level as an iron man (few are). As mentioned, though, Morris has only missed six of 117 games. If Taylor misses any time this year, either Morris or Michael Jerrell will step into the Falcons’ starting lineup. Draft: Round 2, No. 48: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson) (signed) Round 3, No. 79: Zachariah Branch (WR, Georgia) (signed) Round 4, No. 134 (from Raiders)*: Kendal Daniels (LB, Oklahoma) (signed) Round 6, No. 208 (from Bills via Jets and Raiders): Anterio Thompson (DT, Washington) (signed) Round 6, No. 215) (from Eagles)*: Harold Perkins (LB, LSU) (signed) Round 7, No. 231: Ethan Onianwa (T, Ohio State) (signed) The Falcons drafted cornerback AJ Terrell with their first pick (No. 16) in 2020. Six years later, they spent their first pick on his brother. While the Falcons lost their first-rounder in the Pearce trade, some draftniks considered Avieon Terrell a Round 1-caliber prospect in the lead-up to the event. For example, Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked the Atlanta native as the 27th-best player in the class and wrote, “He projects as a rookie starter with inside-outside versatility.” AJ Terrell, hands down the Falcons’ No. 1 corner, has one starting spot locked down. It does not appear Avieon will start opposite AJ right away, though. Incumbent Mike Hughes, a full-time starter from 2024-25, is the favorite. Avieon could eventually push Hughes this year or take on nickel corner duties. Alford and Billy Bowman Jr. combined for 598 slot snaps last year, but the former is off the roster and the latter is on the mend from an Achilles tear. Bowman, who suffered the injury in November, has resided on the active/PUP list since the Falcons reported to camp in late July. With Bowman unavailable, seventh-year journeyman Darnay Holmes currently holds the No. 1 NCB spot on the Falcons’ unofficial depth chart. Holmes has no guaranteed money in his contract, whereas the Falcons thought enough of Terrell to give him a fully guaranteed rookie deal after a terrific showing at Clemson. As a starter for the Tigers for two and a half years, he earned All-ACC honors twice. While Terrell did not intercept any passes last year after picking off three over the previous two seasons, he did lead the conference with five forced fumbles. Based on his contract and his output at Clemson, it is fair to say the Falcons expect Terrell to step into a significant role sooner than later. Whether that’s mainly on the outside or as a nickel corner is up in the air. Terrell spent the vast majority of his college career on the outside, but he did play a personal-high 110 snaps in the slot in 2025. Falcons fans who also root for the Georgia Bulldogs were likely pleased when Atlanta selected the 5-9, 177-pound Branch midway through the third round. After two years at USC, Branch transferred to Georgia in 2025 and earned second-team All-SEC honors last season. Branch hauled in a conference-high 81 receptions, led FBS with an 87.1% catch rate and found the end zone six times in his sole year with the Bulldogs. He only averaged 10.0 yards per reception, but that’s to be expected for someone who hangs around the line of scrimmage. Branch’s average depth of target last year was a measly 3.3 yards, according to PFF. The speedster finished 428th out of 432 qualified receivers in that category, but he was 28th in yards after catch (7.8). Considering Zaccheaus is only signed for one year, Branch could emerge as the Falcons’ primary slot receiver by 2027. He might even overtake Zaccheaus this year. Other: Named Jeff Scott assistant GM Added Bryce Johnston to front office as senior vice president of football administration/senior personnel executive Parted ways with senior director of football administration Chris Olsen Hired Todd McClure as coordinator of player development/senior personnel assistant Dismissed assistant defensive line coach LaTroy Lewis Claimed S Keidron Smith from Jets Signed 14 UDFAs Top 10 cap charges for 2026: Chris Lindstrom, LG: $26.25MM Jessie Bates, S: $24.77MM Jake Matthews, LT: $16.77MM AJ Terrell, CB: $13.5MM Bijan Robinson, RB: $9.99MM Divine Deablo, LB: $8.92MM Drake London, WR: $8MM Michael Penix Jr., QB: $6.24MM Ryan Neuzil, C: $6.23MM Charlie Woerner, TE: $5.75MM Atlanta is not devoid of high-end talent, especially on offense. London, Robinson and Pitts will continue to form an enviable trio of weapons, and the O-line should be sturdy. The problem, and it’s a big one: The Falcons continue to look deficient at quarterback. Unless Tagovailoa turns back the clock to his halcyon days in Miami or Penix finally proves he can be a healthy, effective starter, the Falcons will face an uphill battle in attempting to break their playoff drought in 2026. The Falcons’ defense also has some nice pieces, particularly Deablo, the Terrell brothers, Bates, Watts and ascending lineman Brandon Dorlus. A couple of the Falcons’ free agent losses could sting, however, and going without Walker for all of 2026 and Pearce for a large chunk of it may be too much to overcome. If Falcons fans want to take a glass-half-full approach, the NFC South is up for grabs. It was the only division in the league that saw all of its members finish below .500 last season, the fourth straight year the NFC South champ won 10 or fewer games. The Falcons’ pedestrian 8-9 mark tied the Panthers and the Buccaneers for the best record in the division, but Carolina won it based on tiebreakers. While the 6-11 Saints lagged behind, they expect to contend for the crown in the second year of the Kellen Moore–Tyler Shough era. All four teams still have glaring weaknesses, meaning the division winner could hover around .500 again. It isn’t a high bar to clear, but that doesn’t mean the Falcons are ready to jump over it."

"The Buffalo Bills have some question marks in the defensive secondary. While they have plenty of talented players, there’s a fear that both of their likely top corners are somewhat prone to injury. Perhaps it’s unfair to designate a player who’s only been in the NFL for a season as injury prone, but for Buffalo’s other top corner, he’s yet to play a full season in his four years in the league.That penchant for injury has led to some unfortunate substitutions at inopportune times over the years—hello, Dane Jackson—and was also a reason why general manager Brandon Beane added a high draft pick to Buffalo’s stable of cornerbacks in April. You can never have too many corners, and while the Bills have some good ones, their availability on Sundays is never guaranteed.In today’s installment of our “91 players in 91 days” series, we discuss Buffalo’s CB1, a player with immense talent who overcame a poor start last season to play lights-out football when it mattered most._____________________________________________________________________________Name: Christian BenfordNumber: 47Position: CBHeight/Weight: 6’1” 205 lbs.Age: 25 (26 on 9/21/2026)Experience/Draft: 5; selected by Buffalo in the sixth round (No. 185 overall) of the 2022 NFL DraftCollege: VillanovaAcquired: Sixth-round draft choiceFinancial situation (per Spotrac): Benford signed a four-year, $69 million contract prior to the start of last season. Of that total, the deal includes $$37.636 million in guarantees. For the 2026 season, Benford carries a cap hit of $7.396 million if he’s on the 53-man roster. Buffalo would carry a dead cap charge of $35.036 million if they were to release him.2025 Recap: Benford’s 2025 season did not start well, as he was routinely beaten in Buffalo’s season-opening victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Pro Football Reference had him allowing six completions and two touchdowns on eight passes where he was the closest defender in coverage. In fact, throughout the season’s first five games, Benford was not good. He allowed opposing quarterbacks to go 19-for-27 (70.4%) for 177 yards and four touchdowns; he had neither an interception nor a pass breakup in those first five games. After that stretch, though, he locked in and played the way we all know he’s capable. He did not allow another touchdown in the regular season, finally breaking in the Wild Card Round against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Including the postseason, Benford allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete just 16-of-36 passes (44.4%) for 207 yards with one touchdown. Benford had two interceptions and six pass breakups over those final 11 games that he played. One of those interceptions came against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he also recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown on the first play of the second half of that contest, swinging the momentum in a game Buffalo ultimately won running away. The following week, he made Buffalo’s play of the year, making a leaping interception of Joe Burrow and returning it 63 yards for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. On the regular season, Benford played in 14 games, totaling 43 tackles, two interceptions, four pass breakups, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, and four tackles for loss. In the postseason, he totaled five tackles and two pass breaups in two games. He missed Buffalo’s November loss at the Miami Dolphins due to a groin injury, and he also missed the Bills’ December loss to the Philadelphia Eagles thanks to a toe injury. He sat the regular-season finale against the New York Jets, as well.Positional outlook: Benford is one of nine players listed at cornerback on the current roster. Dee Alford, Maxwell Hairston, Davison Igbinosun, Toriano Pride Jr., D.J. Miller, Anthony Kendall, Jordan Dunbar, and Kani Walker are the others. Te’Cory Couch is listed at defensive back, but he plays corner. Jordan Hancock is also listed at defensive back, but he is a safety/cornerback hybrid.2026 Offseason: Benford is fully healthy and embracing a role as a vocal leader now that he is the veteran in the room.2026 Season outlook: Benford’s talent is not a question, as he has proven himself to be among the league’s best corners when he’s playing at his highest level. The question is whether Benford can line up every single week, as he has yet to do that in his pro career. Buffalo’s cornerback depth has been tested this summer, as Maxwell Hairston has dealt with an injury that has caused him to miss plenty of practice time. Kani Walker, who has been a pleasant surprise this summer, is also hurt, so Buffalo has added some players to eat preseason snaps in order to preserve others.Benford has primarily played in a zone-heavy scheme throughout his career, as that’s what Buffalo ran under head coach Sean McDermott and it’s also what he did at Villanova. Coming out in the 2022 NFL Draft, Lance Zierlein wrote that Benford could play zone or man, but that he might need “scheme protection” in man coverage. With new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard looking to play more man and match coverage, can Benford continue to thrive?I think the answer is yes. Even though the McDermott scheme was known to be zone-heavy, there were signs over the last two seasons that more man coverage was coming. The Bills continued to load up on plus-athletes, and they did play a heavier percentage of man coverage over the last two seasons than they did early in McDermott’s tenure. Even though they still played zone 70% of the time, Buffalo was thirteenth in man coverage rate, running it nearly 24% of the time. That percentage is likely to increase this season.Benford has the ball skills and the physicality to match the league’s best wideouts regardless of scheme. Yes, he might need some help over the top against burners, but rare is the cornerback who doesn’t need that kind of assistance. As long as he can stay on the field, Benford is sure to help the new-look Bills defense charge into a new era this season."

"Alaina GetzenbergAug 18, 2026, 01:53 PM ETCloseAlaina Getzenberg covers the Buffalo Bills for ESPN. She joined ESPN in 2021. Alaina was previously a beat reporter for the Charlotte Observer and has also worked for CBS Sports and the Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley.Multiple AuthorsThe 2026 NFL training camps have kicked off around the league, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. Bills reporter Alaina Getzenberg has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions and, of course, the quarterbacks room.What follows is everything we are seeing and hearing at Bills camp. How will the transition to Jim Leonhard's defense go? Who are the breakout players to watch, especially for fantasy football? And which players on the roster bubble could make the final 53?Catch up on all the updates, including the Bills' top camp performer and biggest lingering question.Camp updates for all 32 NFL teamsLatest news from Bills campNew grass field held up well in opener, Bills president saysBills' Phidarian Mathis banned 3 games for substance abuse violationBills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson carted off with leg injuryJosh Allen on Bills' alternate uniforms: 'Stop hating on the jerseys'Tuesday, Aug. 18The Bills took to the field for the team's second open practice in the new Highmark Stadium early Tuesday morning, and the practice featured some developments on the injury front.Two expected starters -- safety Cole Bishop and cornerback Maxwell Hairston (groin) -- returned to practice after missing time over the past week. Hairston hadn't practiced since Aug. 6. Wide receiver DJ Moore also participated in practice after being looked at by athletic trainers during Saturday's preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. He did not, however, participate in team drills.Players to keep an eye on in the wide receiver room include: Rookie Skyler Bell continues to miss time, while Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman did not practice for the first time this camp. Coleman was wearing a walking boot on his right foot. The team is not sharing injury designations in the preseason.Other players not practicing include defensive tackle Ed Oliver, rookie safety Jalon Kilgore (wrap on right leg), safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, running back Ty Johnson and center Connor McGovern (McGovern said Saturday that his goal is to be back for the regular season).Next up for Buffalo is a joint practice at the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, which should serve as an extensive look at the first-team offense and defense.Looks like no practice for rookie safety Jalon Kilgore. Wrap on his right leg pic.twitter.com/ifNMiIydwj— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 18, 2026 More observations:A couple fights broke out late in practice among linemen. Overall, though, fights have been limited during camp and the skirmishes on Tuesday were relatively brief.Rookie linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr almost intercepted a Josh Allen pass and was visibly frustrated when he couldn't bring it in. He is competing with Dorian Williams for a starting inside linebacker job.Thursday, Aug. 13One key player the Bills are looking forward to having back on the field for the regular season is edge rusher Michael Hoecht. Hoecht has been a full participant for much of training camp while working back from a torn right Achilles suffered in November.Coach Joe Brady said that the plan is for Hoecht to play in a preseason game, but did not want to disclose if that would be this week or in the future. Hoecht also said after practice that he believes it's a game-time decision."[Hoecht's] way ahead of schedule, seeing what he's able to do," Brady said. "And so, if it's not this week, I do want to get him preseason football. Shoot, he's gonna want to do preseason season football."Other observations: C Connor McGovern, RB Ty Johnson, WR Skyler Bell. CB Maxwell Hairston.and CB Kani Walker are all facing injuries, while S Cole Bishop and S C.J. Gardner-Johnson did not participate in practice. Hairston and Bishop did do some work inside the team's fieldhouse while the rest of the team was outside.Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael will be in the coaching booth instead of the sideline for Saturday's preseason game. Carmichael has traditionally coached on the sideline, but Brady wants to experiment with him in each place during the preseason.Quarterback Shane Buechele threw interceptions on back-to-back plays during 11-on-11 drills. The first was a pick-six by defensive back Te'Cory Couch and the second was on an errant throw taken away by linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo.Who is the Bills' top performer so far at camp?Nickel corner Dee Alford. Quarterback Josh Allen put it best, "Dee Alford's been making a lot of plays." This could go to a couple of players, including receiver DJ Moore, but Alford has stood out on a defense that is undergoing major change. His training camp performance featured three interceptions off Allen.What still needs to be answered over the course of preseason games?Where does this defense stand? This is the part of the team that underwent the biggest change this offseason, going from a 4-3 base under Sean McDermott the last nine seasons to a 3-4 with new coordinator Jim Leonhard. Getting a look at this unit in game action will continue to help in seeing more and more of what to expect. Keep in mind, however, that multiple defensive secondary starters are dealing with injuries, including safeties Bishop and Gardner-Johnson and CB Hairston.Tuesday, Aug. 11The Bills wide receivers room is a popular topic of conversation. While DJ Moore's connection with quarterback Josh Allen has been a camp highlight, it was Joshua Palmer who stood out with a couple of nice grabs in Tuesday's practice.Palmer's first season with the Bills was disrupted by injuries, especially a left ankle injury, but the receiver said he is now feeling much more comfortable. Getting significant, and reliable, contributions from players such as Palmer would be big for Joe Brady's offense."I don't have to question any of my movements," Palmer said. "I don't have to think before the route. I don't have to ... I'm not stressed before I go on the field. I just go out and play."Other observations:Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said that he thinks the plan is for starters to play in the preseason opener Saturday but that it is TBD how much they will play. "It's gonna be exciting for guys to get out there and just kind of let it rip," Leonhard said. Leonhard said tackling is a big evaluation piece for the defense in the game, noting that getting offensive players to the ground and finishing plays was an "Achilles' heel" in Buffalo last year.Rookie DT Zane Durant returned to practice, but a number of starters were still not participating. Among those not practicing are safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Cole Bishop and center Connor McGovern. Cornerback Maxwell Hairston was doing some work on the side. The team has not disclosed injuries.Nickel corner Dee Alford continues to be a camp standout. On Tuesday, he intercepted Allen for the third time in camp with a jump on a ball that was intended for receiver Keon Coleman. Alford said that he adjusted the call based on what they saw on film. "[Allen is] the best quarterback in the league, MVP. So ... any time you can catch an interception from him, man, it just shows what type of defender you are."Monday, Aug. 10Injuries were the theme of the day as the Buffalo Bills held their first training camp practice at the team's facility in Orchard Park, New York.Several starters did not participate, including safety Cole Bishop, cornerback Maxwell Hairston and center Connor McGovern. Also not taking part were running back Ty Johnson, wide receivers Skyler Bell and Ja'Mori Maclin, defensive tackle Zane Durant, defensive back D.J. Miller and punter Mitch Wishnowsky.The team did not disclose the nature of the injuries.Starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who missed two practices with a right calf strain, also left practice early after falling to the ground while making a pass breakup in the end zone. Athletic trainers looked at his right leg. He eventually walked to the locker room on his own.Practice was held inside the Kaleida Health Performance Center as rain and lightning once again threatened.More observations:Veteran Lloyd Cushenberry III continued to work with the first-team offense at center in place of McGovern.Top camp standouts include tight end Keleki Latu and cornerback Kani Walker.Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael attended the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony Saturday. He was there in support of Drew Brees, whom he coached in New Orleans. "It was really special," Carmichael said. "Special moment. It was great to see not only Drew and Coach [Sean] Payton but the whole group of guys that had come out just to be there on his behalf."Saturday, Aug. 8On Saturday night, the Bills held their annual "Return of the Blue and Red" practice at Highmark Stadium. It was the Bills' first football activities in their new $2.1 billion home.The official welcome featured plenty of fireworks, quite literally.One of the biggest came during a two-minute drill, when quarterback Josh Allen found wide receiver Khalil Shakir, as he darted past safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and twisted his way into the end zone. Moments later, Allen joined him in the celebration by sliding into the end zone.As coach Joe Brady described it, "Josh throwing an unbelievable play to Khalil."The night went smoothly, outside of a brief downpour midpractice, and players later marveled at the arena."Wow," tight end Dawson Knox said. "... I got here four hours early. I was just walking around on the field, taking myself on a little tour around everything, just kind of looking at all the details and just taking it in, because it still doesn't feel real yet. ... It's the coolest place I've ever played football in."More observations:Nickel corner Dee Alford had a nice interception off Allen. The defense made a show of celebrating the pick, even being a bit late to get to the next play.RB Ty Johnson went down during one-on-one drills with a right leg injury. He was helped off the field by athletic trainers and did not return to practice.Starting center Connor McGovern also was injured on the first play of 11-on-11 drills. He returned to play, but then needed further attention from athletic trainers, who were looking at his right leg. McGovern then walked off the field and did not return. Lloyd Cushenberry III filled in for him (outside of a brief appearance by Sedrick Van Pran-Granger). Brady did not have an update on McGovern or Johnson after practice.Cornerback Maxwell Hairston missed a second straight practice because of an undisclosed injury. Rookie DT Zane Durant, P Mitch Wishnowsky, DB D.J. Miller and WR Mac Dalena also did not participate.The punting job remains Tommy Doman Jr.'s to lose. With Wishnowsky out, Doman punted and held for kicker Tyler Bass, who made all eight of his field goal attempts. The rookie had one fumble, but otherwise a solid day.Rookie undrafted free agent CB Kani Walker continues to be a surprise in camp.Friday, Aug. 7The Bills wrapped up training camp at St. John Fisher University with a shorter practice in pads.Quarterback Josh Allen said one of his takeaways from the time away from Buffalo is how close the team has gotten."This group from offense to defense is the tightest knit group that I've been around really since I've entered the league," Allen said. "The defense is meshing so well together. Just even when you walk in the dorm room or walk in the cafeteria, guys sitting down, talking, really getting to know each other."There's just a lot of love on this team and that'll show on the field."Allen pointed to the veteran leadership new OLB Bradley Chubb brings as well as the growth of two-time captain ILB Terrel Bernard in helping the team get to where it is.The Bills now head back to Orchard Park, New York, and camp practice starts with the first football work in the new Highmark Stadium on Saturday night.Other observations:Two defenders took trips to the medical tent during practice. Rookie defensive tackle Zane Durant went in briefly but returned to the sideline with his helmet. Projected starting nickel Dee Alford was slow to get up after defending a pass by Allen to wide receiver Joshua Palmer. He returned to the sideline without his helmet, and second-year DB Jordan Hancock filled in during the absence, but practice ended quickly afterward.LT Dion Dawkins had a veteran rest day. Backups Tylan Grable and then Jude Bowry spent time with the first-team offense. Bowry dealt with penalty issues from the officials present at the session.No practice for CB Maxwell Hairston, WR Mac Dalena or DB D.J. Miller. Coach Joe Brady said the Bills were being precautionary with Hairston after an injury Thursday. Rookie CB Davison Igbinosun worked with the first-team defense in Hairston's place.Former Bills pass rusher Von Miller has posted photos recently alluding to a desire to re-sign with Buffalo. Bills GM and president of football operations Brandon Beane said, "I talk to Von all the time. We're buds. But yeah, I mean, listen, I love Von. You could name 10 other ex-Bills that if everything lined up right, you wouldn't say no to a guy like that. But beyond that, there's nothing imminent or nothing going."Thursday, Aug. 6A significant first came from kicker Tyler Bass at practice. Returning after missing the entire 2025 season with a sports hernia, Bass practiced kickoffs and field goals on the main training camp field for the first time this camp. He went 5-of-7, with both misses coming from 45-plus yards. Bass had kicked once in a practice open to the media in the spring.Special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers said earlier in the week that Bass had been kicking outside of open practices and that it was not planned for him to kick in practice until this point."Just the whole organization, I think, Joe [Brady], Jeff ... have done a great job of just integrating me at the right pace," Bass said. "And just letting me be the best version of myself, and that's where I'm seeing a lot of growth in."Other observations:Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (calf) and defensive tackle Deone Walker (left elbow) participated in the individual and team periods of practice. Walker is wearing a brace on his left arm.WR Keon Coleman had an up-and-down day with a nice catch on a pass from quarterback Josh Allen but also a drop later that left him vocalizing frustration.The splash play of the day came from Allen with a deep pass to recently acquired WR Dante Pettis. If the play had taken place during a game, it would have drawn flags and a review.ILBs Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard are back participating in 11-on-11 drills, and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard made it clear there would be roles on the defense during the season for both of those players and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who has taken advantage of significant practice time due to other injuries. "The physical skill set of those three guys, I think it's going be a lot of fun to work with."Tuesday, Aug. 4The Bills wore full pads during 11-on-11 drills for the first time in training camp. And with the pads came the fighting.Players had to be separated several times, with the back-and-forth talk starting between the offensive and defensive lines even before the team periods. One big altercation came when rookie inside linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr didn't realize the play was over and made contact with tight end Dalton Kincaid. The offense did not appreciate the late hit, and coach Joe Brady even had some words after the things calmed.One player who was consistently in the middle of the fighting and got involved in that one is offensive lineman Alec Anderson."Well, I didn't enjoy hitting our guy after the whistle, but I enjoyed punching him in the face a couple times and choking him out," Anderson said. "So, that's always enjoyable."Veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb said that he loved the physicality the team brought."You'd rather say chill than sic 'em," Chubb said. "So, when you got a team full of sic 'ems, that's a good thing. But at the end of the day, we got to make sure we channel our energy in the right place."More observations:Quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver DJ Moore connected for arguably the most eye-popping play of camp thus far. Allen found Moore deep downfield with three defenders -- cornerbacks Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston and safety Cole Bishop -- trailing Moore. After it initially appeared Moore wouldn't catch up to the pass from Allen, the ball landed in the right spot for Moore to stretch out his arms midstride to bring it in. Fellow wide receiver Khalil Shakir said, "[Moore and Allen's] connection has been unreal" and that the play was so beautiful, it feels "fake."Moore to come. 👀 pic.twitter.com/uQYxqTxoCN— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 4, 2026 Rookie edge rusher TJ Parker was involved in the beginning of a skirmish.Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (right calf strain) worked to the side early in practice.DT Deone Walker sat out a second straight practice after tweaking his elbow. He said that he was fitted for a brace Monday and hoping to be back practicing Thursday with the brace.The top training camp battles continued to see rotations, including left guard (Anderson/Austin Corbett). Monday, Aug. 3The rain poured down at St. John Fisher University for the third time in the Bills' four training camp practices. The difficult weather lasted the entirety of the team's first practice wearing pads -- which was short-lived.The team took off the pads before 11-on-11 drills got underway, another noticeable Joe Brady change."Coming out the first day of pads, and everyone's just adjusting and kind of thinking about all the pads," Brady said."Today's more of the intentionality of ... we're coming off an off day. Let's wake up with the mentality that we got to put our pads on. Let's get used to it."Tight end Dawson Knox said he appreciates Brady trying to see things from the player perspective.There was a hint of risk due to slippery grass. The concrete track surrounding the field wasn't far from where the players were working in the red zone. The team appeared to avoid any major injury."It kind of brings you back to just kind of being a kid ... playing football with your friends in the rain," tight end Dalton Kincaid said."Hoping for some sunshine ahead."More observations:Brady did not offer a timeline for safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who suffered a lower calf strain Saturday, to return but said the Bills were "fortunate" it was not a more severe injury. Gardner-Johnson was not present at Monday's practice.Safety Damar Hamlin took first-team reps initially in Gardner-Johnson's absence and then veteran Geno Stone had some time with the unit as well.Second-year defensive tackle Deone Walker did not participate in practice. He worked to the side with athletic trainers during the individual periods.Tight end Dalton Kincaid went down during 11-on-11 drills and received attention from athletic trainers but said after practice that he got hit by a knee in the "family jewels" and is OK.Inside linebacker Dorian Williams took part in team drills for the first time during camp.Saturday, Aug. 1Despite the injury suffered Saturday to projected starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the Bills' defense showed it can still come together in the face of adversity.Inside linebacker Terrel Bernard made his camp debut Saturday in 11-on-11 drills, pairing with rookie linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr. Linebacker Dorian Williams has not progressed yet to 11-on-11 work but was alongside Bernard in 7-on-7 drills. Elarms-Orr has seen opportunities with the absences, but Bernard getting more reps is a sign the unit is moving forward.Rookie safety Jalon Kilgore remains further down the depth chart but continues to make plays, including an interception.When it comes to defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard putting his defense together, OLB Bradley Chubb noted one thing that stands out."The difference I've seen in him versus other DCs I've been with is, when we're installing, he's installing with the reason why we're installing. It's never just putting a play in just to put a play in," Chubb said. "Each play has a purpose, has a reason, and he tells exactly what he wants out of us in that play. And when you got a guy like that, it's easy to play for because you know where you stand."More observations:Saturday featured the first sunny day of training camp practice and the longest session yet. The team huddled together before a final set of 11-on-11 drills to end the practice.Wide receiver Joshua Palmer stretched to make a nice catch near the sideline, bringing in the ball midstride, on a pass from quarterback Josh Allen. Palmer ran the short distance remaining into the end zone and then punted the ball into the air in celebration. The receiver getting into a rhythm would be a positive for the Bills after Palmer dealt with injuries last season.The running backs room -- James Cook III, Ty Johnson and Ray Davis -- has been noticeably more involved as pass catchers in practices, which is something to keep an eye on if that production increases this season.The Bills had full attendance at practice.Thursday, July 30The budding relationship between quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver DJ Moore was on display once again during the second practice of training camp.Moore, the team's biggest offseason acquisition, had highlight catches on both days of camp: a sideline diving grab during the first practice and a deep pass for a touchdown on Thursday. Moore is already getting No. 1 receiver-type treatment from Allen and the first-team offense. Moore described the first two days of camp with the 2024 MVP as "really good."Allen has taken time during practice to talk with the veteran receiver and the pair have emphasized having communication in a variety of ways."[Before camp] he was in LA, I was moving houses and selling houses, so ... just getting out here early and just going back and forth like we are," Moore said about building on their relationship. "Constant communication on the field between the two days, and we're just [going to] keep building.The quarterback also noted how not trying to be perfect has helped his rapport with Moore."I feel myself trying to be perfect when I'm throwing to him in some of the routes on air," Allen said after the first day of camp. "And [on Wednesday] I walked up to him and said I'm just going to throw it. I'm going to pick a spot and let it go. I'm not trying to aim it anymore. And I feel like once I said that things kind of clicked for us. And each day that goes by, we are going to get more comfortable with each other."More observations:Running back James Cook III staged a hold-in before receiving his four-year contract extension during his last year's training camp. Two other running backs appear to be doing the same this year: Falcons' Bijan Robinson and Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs. When asked about other players following suit, Cook said, "Go for it. Get your money."The biggest training camp position battle faced off during team drills as starting left guard prospects Austin Corbett and Alec Anderson split the work.Rookie safety Jalon Kilgore stood out, breaking up a couple of passes during 11-on-11 drills.Starting cornerback Christian Benford has taken on more of a leadership role going into this season. The fifth-year veteran hyped up defensive players in a huddle before they headed out for team drills. The last player off the field, Benford also made sure to sign a fan's Benford jersey after signing autographs on the other side of the field and talking with media.play1:33Brandon Beane tells McAfee why Bills picked grass over turf at new stadiumWednesday, July 29As a rainy morning marked the beginning of Buffalo Bills training camp, new head coach Joe Brady noted the conditions to general manager Brandon Beane after the team's warmups."'This will be interesting. This is a good test,'" Beane recalled Brady saying. "... He goes, 'I'm curious -- someone slips and falls, someone drops a ball, someone fumbles the ball -- how they do the next play.'"That very thought came to fruition quickly as third-year wide receiver Keon Coleman dropped a pass early in 7-on-7 drills. Quarterback Josh Allen, however, came back to him on the next play and Coleman made the catch downfield.Beane said that he is very proud of where Coleman is, while Allen noted that he respects how hard the receiver is working.Asked if he feels he has something to prove, Coleman said "somewhat yes." He added: "I'm on my third year and I haven't done anything I said I wanted to do when it come[s] to production-wise on the field, and I just want to contribute to more wins."More observations:The Bills entered the first day of training camp on a healthy note. Only one player, WR Tyrell Shavers, is on the physically unable to perform list due to a torn ACL. The other player who did not participate to some extent is WR Jalen Virgil, who did not pass his physical Tuesday.Inside linebackers Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams will gradually ramp up their participation to join team drills over the coming week. This continues to open the door for rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr to see more opportunities in team drills, as he did in the offseason due to injuries.The hope is that outside linebacker Michael Hoecht is ready to play Week 1. He is coming off a season-ending torn right Achilles but is already taking part in some team reps. Beane said the Bills would like him to play a bit in the preseason to get the rust off."

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